Combination wet and dry type vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A wet/dry type vacuum cleaner has a suction generator, a cleaner body including the suction generator at one side of a lower portion, an intake port being connected with a nozzle that is movable along a surface to be cleaned, and a discharge port through which a clean air is discharged, a contaminant separator removably mounted in the cleaner body to separate contaminant-laden wet air drawn through the intake port into the contaminant and water components and air, and then to store the separated contaminant and water therein, a cover, being open and closed, disposed on an upper portion of the cleaner body to seal an upper opening of the cleaner body, and a discharge path opening a fluid communication between the contaminant separator and the discharge port, for the air separated at the contaminant separating means to be discharged out through the discharge port of the cleaner body. Since the suction generator is provided at the lower portion of the cleaner body instead of the upper portion, the cover can be constructed in a simple manner and a user can remove the contaminant receptacle by simply opening the cover and emptying the contaminant receptacle.

1. A wet/dry type vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a suction generating means; a cleaner body comprising the suction generating means at one side of a lower portion, an intake port, capable of being connected to a nozzle that is movable along a surface to be cleaned, and a discharge port through which clean air is discharged; 
 a contaminant separating means removably mounted in the cleaner body, for separating contaminant-laden wet air drawn through the intake port into the air component from the contaminant and water component, and then storing the separated contaminant and water therein and discharging the air; 
 a cover disposed on an upper portion of the cleaner body for sealing an upper opening of the cleaner body, the cover being capable of opening and closing; and 
 a discharge path providing fluid communication between the contaminant separating means and the discharge port for discharging the air separated at the contaminant separating means out through the discharge port of the cleaner body' and 
 a base comprising a seating portion on which the suction generating means is mounted; 
 an inner receptacle standing upright on the base, the inner receptacle comprising an escape groove for avoiding interference with the suction generating means, and a space in which the contaminant separating means is mounted; and 
 an outer receptacle standing upright on the base, surrounding the inner receptacle, 
 the intake port being formed at an upper side of the space, 
 the discharge port being formed at the escape groove, and 
 first and second through holes being formed in the outer receptacle corresponding to the intake port and the discharge port, respectively. 
 
   
   
     2. The wet/dry type vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the suction generating means comprises a bypass motor, and the cleaner body comprises a motor cooling path extending from the lower portion to the side via the bypass motor. 
   
   
     3. The wet/dry type vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the base comprises a plurality of rollers for enabling a movement of the cleaner body. 
   
   
     4. The wet/dry type vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the inner receptacle comprises an auxiliary tool space for keeping auxiliary cleaning tools therein. 
   
   
     5. The wet/dry type vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the contaminant separating means comprises: a contaminant receptacle formed in the space of the inner receptacle, the contaminant receptacle comprising a third through hole in fluid communication with the intake port of the inner receptacle; and a filter assembly, removably mounted in the contaminant receptacle, in fluid communication with the discharge path, for filtering out contaminants and water from the air being drawn through the intake port. 
   
   
     6. The wet/dry type vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein the contaminant receptacle is formed of a transparent material, and the cleaner body is provided with a transparent window through which the contaminant collected in the contaminant receptacle is visible to the outside. 
   
   
     7. The wet/dry type vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein the cover is pivotally disposed on the upper receptacle by a hinge to permit the cover to open and close by pivoting. 
   
   
     8. The wet/dry type vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the discharge path comprises: a first path formed in the cleaner body in fluid communication with the discharge port; and a second path formed in the cover with one end being connected to the first path and the other end being connected to the contaminant separating means. 
   
   
     9. A wet/dry type vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a bypass motor serving as a suction generating means; 
 a base comprising a seating portion on which the bypass motor is mounted; 
 an inner receptacle standing upright on the base, the inner receptacle comprising,
 an escape groove for avoiding interference with the bypass motor, 
 a predetermined space defined therein, 
 an intake port formed on an upper side of the space, capable of being connected to a nozzle movable along a surface to be cleaned and thus drawing in a contaminant-laden wet air from the surface therethrough, and 
 a discharge port through which air is discharged; 
 an outer receptacle standing upright on the base surrounding the inner receptacle, the outer receptacle comprising first and second through holes in fluid communication with the intake port and the discharge port of the inner receptacle, respectively; 
 a contaminant receptacle removably disposed in the space of the inner receptacle, the contaminant receptacle comprising a third through hole in fluid communication with the intake port of the inner receptacle; 
 a filter assembly removably mounted in the contaminant receptacle for filtering out the component contaminant and water from the contaminant-laden wet air as drawn through the intake port; 
 a cover pivotally disposed on one side of the outer receptacle, sealing an upper opening of the outer receptacle, the cover being pivoted from an open position to a closed position; and 
 a discharge path for opening a fluid communication between the filter assembly and the discharge port, thereby permitting the air separated at the filter assembly to be discharged out through the discharge port, comprising 
 a first path formed in the inner receptacle in fluid communication with the discharge port, and 
 a second path, formed in the cover, for connecting the first path and the filter assembly.